Here's to everyone doing physical work for a living, which includes me at least half the time. I have done it all day, every day, not digging ditches but up and down ladders, in and out of trenches, stringing coaxial cable and smiling at the customers no matter what, and that kind of work is almost always underpaid. But it's got to be done.
I worked for myself, last night and today. The fan bearing in the fridge got worse last night and the hot side was very hot indeed. Rather than hope all the protective measures held while the fan screamed out its last and I tried to sleep, I pitched everything that was sensitive -- a couple of bouts of food poisoning have made me timid about food safety -- and put the fridge in icebox mode. It held up okay overnight with the cold packs I had stockpiled in the freezer (keep your freezer full, with paths for airflow; it's more efficient and the gelpacks come in handy) and I added ice today. More ice tomorrow, and that should get it to delivery of the new one, with cold soft drinks for Tam and cold UHT milk and Reese's Cups for me along the way.
A fair part of the day, I spent clearing away books in the library/dining room so there will be a wide path from the front door to the kitchen. It was overdue work, and there's still more to do.
Update
9 months ago
3 comments:
I applaud you and other "hands on" workers for doing essential work to keep us all going. Thank you.
I know that you probably won't print this, but my wife keeps fans running in her chicken coop during the summer. You can't believe the sawdust and other dirt which collects on them and in the motors. Cleaning is done with an air compressor and if the motor can be observed, a few squirts of silicone in the motor rotor keep them running almost forever. Good Luck
Not sure why you'd think I wouldn't publish it.
I gave serious thought to trying to reactivate the Oilite bearings. You can often get more life from them with a drop or two of oil. (Bigger ones can even sometimes be removed, soaked and the excess allowed to run off.)
The problems were twofold: the fan was running all the time, so the system was probably low on gas. And the arrangement of parts has the fan pulling air over its motor, though the hot condensing coil and on to the hot condenser: any excess lubricant was going to get spayed over the too-hot-to-touch stuff. I didn't like that. It's all hidden at the back rear of the fridge, right beside the wastebasket.
I loved that fridge. I'd like to keep it. But with none of the electrical and mechanical parts available from the OEM and repair parts suppliers, it was going to be a losing battle to keep it going. There isn't even a refill connection for the gas; the original fill tubing is crimped flat and welded in three places.
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